Medicine/Cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Though it has been around since 1740 when the Paris Academy of Sciences recommended mouth-to-mouth for drowning victims, many people still do not know how to perform it. , better known as CPR, is a lifesaving technique employed in the event of sudden cardiac arrest. Sudden cardiac arrest occurs when an individual’s heart no longer is beating suddenly and unexpectedly. It should be noted that sudden cardiac arrest is not the same as having a heart attack. A heart attack is caused when a blockage or something else impedes blood flow in the heart and can lead to sudden cardiac arrest. Typically, an individual who suffers SCA can die within minutes if no treatment occurs. Sudden cardiac arrest affects nearly 900 individuals in a given day. Each year, approximately 383,000 SCAs occur outside of the hospital. Eighty-eight percent of these occur in the home. The victim may not have a history of heart problems or a high risk of heart disease, yet can still fall prey to SCA. African Americans are almost twice as likely to experience sudden cardiac arrest as Caucasians, and are also two times less likely to survive (2011).

Because brain death can occur between eight and ten minutes due to a lack of oxygen in the brain, it is extremely important to attend immediately to an individual with SCA. Brain damage can occur within only a few minutes of sudden cardiac arrest. CPR can help keep oxygen going to the brain and other vital organs until additional help arrives. However, nearly seventy percent of people do not know how to react in an emergency in which the victim has undergone SCA, either because they do not know how to administer CPR or because they are not comfortable administering CPR. Only eight percent of individuals who fall prey to SCA outside of the hospital currently survive.

Why is CPR an effective skill to learn? When CPR is administered right after sudden cardiac arrest, that individual’s chances of survival can double or even triple. Sadly, only about 32 percent of individuals receive CPR from a bystander. Though AEDs are a more effective method of treating sudden cardiac arrest, they are not always available for use. CPR is a skill that can be used in any setting, either until an AED can be found or medical professionals arrive on the scene.

There are two different types of CPR that can be administered. It should be noted that in all forms of CPR chest compressions are advised as the beginning steps. One technique is Hands-Only CPR, which only utilizes chest compressions. This type of CPR is best for individuals who have are untrained or uncomfortable with administering CPR. Chest compressions at approximately 100 beats per minute should be performed until help arrives. In this type, no rescue breaths are used.

The second CPR technique is for the trained and comfortable individual. This technique involves beginning chest compressions (without checking the airway) for 30 compressions, then performing a rescue breath and checking the airways. This cycle continues until paramedics arrive on the scene.

It is very easy to learn CPR. In fact, there are many videos online which show the Hands-Only CPR technique. The American Heart Association has many videos, such as its “Two Steps to Stayin’ Alive” video, which teaches Hands-Only CPR to the tune of “Stayin’ Alive” by the BeeGees. The American Heart Association is responsible for training over 12 million people per year, including both health care professionals and the general population. The American Red Cross also provides certification courses in CPR and AED training. With these courses, an individual can be CPR/AED certified for two years. The American Heart Association does not have a minimum age requirement for learning CPR. The ability to perform CPR is based upon an individual’s strength rather than age. Some studies have shown that children as young as nine years old can learn CPR (2010).